West Ham vs Nottingham Forest prediction, H2H and probable lineups - 6 January 2026
One of the fixtures of the 21st round of the English Premier League will take place on Tuesday at the London Stadium in the UK capital, where West Ham will host Nottingham Forest. I'm offering a prediction on the outcome of this clash with strong odds for success.
Match preview
The Hammers are mired in a deep sporting and psychological crisis, with the 0-3 defeat to Wolves described by Nuno Espírito Santo as "shameful." This marks their ninth consecutive league game without a win, and the club continues to linger in the relegation zone, showing neither structure nor character.
West Ham's defense is among the weakest in the Premier League: the team has yet to keep a clean sheet at home and has already conceded 23 goals on their own turf. Given the internal instability and rumors of Slaven Bilić's return, a defeat to Santo's former club could well be his last match in charge of the Hammers.
Forest endured a tough Christmas run, losing four matches in a row, but Sean Dyche's side still have a chance to break this slump against a crisis-hit West Ham. Despite the 1-3 defeat to Aston Villa, the Tricky Trees remain above the relegation zone and are not under critical pressure in the table.
The squad is undoubtedly weakened: Hudson-Odoi and N'Doye are doubtful, while Viktor, who made a costly blunder, could lose his spot in goal to Mats Sels. Several key players are also absent, including Sangaré and Boly, who are away at AFCON. Nevertheless, with smart midfield play and quick counterattacks, Forest have a real shot at success, especially considering their opponent's defensive frailties.
Probable lineups
- West Ham: Areola, Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Julio, Scarles, Soucek, Potts, Bowen, Fernandez, Summerville, Wilson
- Nottingham Forest: Sels, Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Anderson, Dominguez, Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Jesus
Match facts and head-to-head
- West Ham have lost four of their last five Premier League matches.
- Nottingham Forest lost 0-3 to West Ham in the first round, back when Santo was in charge.
- In the three previous head-to-heads before August 2025, Forest beat the Hammers three times in a row.
Prediction
Despite both teams' poor form, Forest look more organized and capable of exploiting the hosts' weak defense. West Ham lack structure and motivation, and another slip-up at home could prompt management to make a coaching change. Expect the visitors to take all three points from London.
